Peste Des Petits Ruminants

Unique identifier / Notation

BI0310

Synonyms

N/A

Peste des petits ruminants is a highly contagious and devastating disease of goats and sheep. The causative agent, Peste des petits ruminants virus, is a member of the genus Morbillivirus, Family Paramyxoviridae and Order Mononegavirales (adapted from FAO, no date and WOAH, 2024a).

Primary reference(s)

FAO, no date. Peste des petits ruminants. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Accessed 28 May 2025.

WOAH, 2024a. Peste des petits ruminants. World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). Accessed 1 September 2024.

Annotations

Additional scientific description

PPR is a preventable disease by vaccine. The PPR vaccine provides a good example of solid immunity obtained with a live attenuated vaccine. PPR vaccination should be carried out according to the epidemiological situation of each area/country (Diallo & Singh, 2021). Usually, each country has a list of registered veterinary vaccines that are allowed to be used in the country. Contact the veterinary authorities of the country for more information.

Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious animal disease affecting domestic and wild small ruminants. It is caused by a virus belonging to the genus Morbillivirus, family Paramixoviridae. Once newly introduced, the virus can infect up to 90% of a small ruminant flock, and the disease kills anywhere up to 70% of infected animals (FAO, no date).

PPR was first described in 1942 in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa. Since then, the disease has spread to large regions of Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe. Today, more than 70 countries are affected or at high risk and many more are without an official PPR status. PPR-infected and at-risk countries are home to approximately 1.7 billion heads - around 80% - of the global population of sheep and goats (FAO, no date).

Transmission of PPR is mainly by aerosol or direct contact between animals living in close quarters and via fomites spreading infection via bedding, feed, pasture and water troughs (OIE, 2020).

PPR causes annual economic losses of up to USD 2.1 billion. Looking beyond this figure, 300 million families are at risk of losing their livelihoods, food security, and employment opportunities. Moreover, small ruminants and their products are internationally traded commodities, particularly in Africa and the Middle East. PPR considerably affects export earnings and creates supply shortages. The inability of families, communities, and institutions to anticipate, absorb, or recover from PPR can compromise national and regional development efforts, and reverse decades of progress (FAO, no date).

Until recently, this virus was named simply Peste des Petits Ruminants Virus (PPRV); the official name of this virus was changed in 2016 to small ruminant morbillivirus (SRM). However, it is still commonly known as PPRV by people working in the field. It is antigenically similar to the rinderpest virus, measles virus and canine distemper virus. It is transmitted by direct contact with diseased animals. PPR also occurs in some wildlife species, which can act as a source of infection for domestic small ruminants. PPR-infected countries are excluded from international trade of live small ruminants (OIE, 2020).

A PPR outbreak is an emergency due to its rapid spread and high animal mortality rate. Fatal diseases of small ruminants, such as PPR, affect the already vulnerable livelihoods and can decimate the savings of poor populations, especially in pastoral areas. People become desperate when they lose their assets. PPR outbreaks, and the desperation due to the loss, can trigger turmoil, migration, and volatile security situations (FAO, no date).

Eradicating PPR will increase sustainability, alleviate poverty, improve the resilience of poor pastoralists and their communities, enable them to better cope with other shocks and threats, prevent forced migration and mitigate extremist trends (FAO, no date).

As an example, Mongolia reported its first-ever PPR outbreaks in sheep and goat populations in September 2016. In the absence of an adequate response by local veterinary services, the disease rapidly spread, devastating rural livelihoods, and disrupting exports and value chains. In December 2016, PPR spilled over to wild antelope species killing up to 60% of the Saiga antelope population, a critically endangered species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) (FAO, no date).

PPR is not a zoonotic infection. There is no known risk of human infection with PPR virus (FAO, no date).

Metrics and numeric limits

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is on the list of notifiable diseases. Members are obliged to report cases and outbreaks to the Organisation, according to the Terrestrial Animal Health Code (WOAH, no date).

Key relevant UN convention / multilateral treaty

WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) (WTO, 1994). https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/booksp_e/agrmntseries4_sps_e.pdf

United Nations. 2023. UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods - UN Model Regulations. https://unece.org/transport/dangerous-goods/un-model-regulations-rev-23

Drivers

PPR easily spreads in areas experiencing civil conflict, resulting in insecurity, displacement of people, loss of assets, and greater need to remain mobile. In such areas, vaccination to raise herd immunity is difficult, and movement (displacement) of susceptible animals spread the disease. The introduction of infected animals to a naive population is another driver (WOAH, 2020)

Impacts

Death of infected animals, spread of infection, trade ban (WOAH, 2020; 2024b).

Multi-hazard context

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a contagious transboundary disease which has severe negative socio-economic impacts on the income of livestock farmers and, in particular, the livelihoods and food security of the most vulnerable rural communities, notably of women. WOAH and the FAO, in their joint strategy for control and eradication of PPR, have set the goal of eradicating the disease by 2030 (WOAH, no date).

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) poses a major threat to food security and livelihoods in around 70 countries. Up to 90 percent of herds are infected, and mortality rates can reach 70 percent. Effective and affordable vaccines that provide lifelong immunity make eradication achievable through targeted vaccination and improved surveillance. The Global Eradication Programme for PPR aims to eliminate the disease by 2030 with an investment of USD 1.9 billion. It promises significant economic benefits and improved food security for millions dependent on small ruminants (FAO, 2025).

Risk Management

Vaccination program, movement control, improve biosecurity (WOAH, 2020; 2024b). Eradicating PPR is a major advance towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (UNDESA, no date). A one-time vaccination can immunise ruminants for life against PPR.

Monitoring

he section and the table below offer an overview of monitoring for peste des petits ruminants. This information can be used for forecasting within a national early warning system (EWS). Since EWS capacities and processes differ across countries, the most current and specific information regarding EWS should be obtained from the appropriate national or regional agency/authority responsible for disaster management.

Which institution(s) produce(s) Disaster Risk Data/Information?

Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Livestock, FAO Reference Centres, WOAH Reference Centres,

How is the Hazard Observed/Monitored/Forecast?

Through its global early warning system, FAO has been supporting Members with risk monitoring, assessment and forecasting for animal health threats to enhance preparedness and response to animal health threats:

The Global Animal Disease Information System, EMPRES-i+, plays a crucial role in supporting countries with early warning and early detection of animal disease outbreaks. By providing a comprehensive platform for real-time disease tracking, EMPRES-i+, enables monitoring and analysis of animal health threats effectively, collaborating closely with countries and regions on disease information sharing. This supports the dissemination of risk assessments and alerts for evidence-based decision-making.
FAO develops and maintains decision support tools that provide risk maps of existing and predicted risks of animal disease emergence, as well as other threats to the agri-food chain.
Additionally, FAO collaborates closely with international organizations like WHO and WOAH to verify disease information through integrated mechanisms such as the Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources (EIOS), the Global Early Warning System (GLEWS+), and the World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS) for WOAH-listed diseases. These collaborations allow for the dissemination of early warning alerts and risk assessments to Members, to enable timely responses to potential outbreaks.

FAO empres-i+ https://empres-i.apps.fao.org/diseases

WOAH WAHIS https://wahis.woah.org/#/event-management